Novel hydrogen-absorbing composition, process for its preparation and use as composition for filling optical fibre cables

ABSTRACT

Composition, characterized in that it comprises a hydrocarbonaceous compound or a mixture of hydrocarbonaceous compounds, a nonzero proportion of one or more transition metals and a nonzero proportion of at least one slightly polar dispersing liquid fatty phase, having one or more hydrocarbonaceous chains, with an HLB of between 0.5 and 9, preferably between 4 and 9. Its process of preparation and its use as composition for filling optical fibre cables.

A subject-matter of the invention is novel hydrogen-absorbingcompositions comprising dispersing agents and their use in themanufacture of optical fibre cables.

Optical fibres, which make possible the transmission of increasinglylarge amounts of information, are laid in cables liable to be subjectedto significant mechanical and chemical stresses, in particular when theyare submarine cables. To restrict the effects of these stresses, thefibres are protected by metal or plastic sheathings and are “immersed”in greases which contribute to cushioning the impacts and to restrictingthe microcurves which result therefrom and which interfere with thetransmission of the signals. These microcurves are also caused by theappearance of hydrogen microbubbles which form inside the grease at thetime of the manufacture of the cable, during welding operations or overtime as an effect of ageing. This is why some greases currently soldcomprise compounds which absorb hydrogen.

Thus, the French patent application published under the number 2 607 311discloses a hydrophobic thixotropic composition intended for themanufacture of optical fibre cables comprising 100 parts by weight of alubricating fluid composed of 30% to 100% by weight of polybutene,preferably hydrogenated polybutene, having a number-average molecularmass of between 280 and 800 and of 0% to 70% by weight of at least oneliquid lubricant chosen from mineral oils, synthetic oils and siliconesand 7 to 20 parts by weight of a hydrophobic thixotropic agent chosenfrom a hydrophobic silica and a hydrophobic bentonite. The use of apolar agent, such as propylene carbonate, for improving the dispersionof the silicas or bentonites is disclosed in the patent application. TheBritish patent application published under the number 2 144 559discloses hydrogen-absorbing compositions for optical fibre cables whichcomprise polybutene, aromatic hydrocarbons, palladium or activecharcoal. The United States patent published under the U.S. Pat. No.4,668,889 discloses hydrogen-absorbing compositions for the filling ofoptical fibre cables which comprise the mixture of an unsaturatedsilicone with a catalyst chosen from transition metals, organic salts oftransition metals or organometallic compounds of the said metals andmore specifically palladium powder, platinum powder, nickel powder, ironpentacarbonyl or chloroplatinic acid, the said metals optionally beingsupported on inert compounds, such as animal or vegetable carbon black.The United States patent published under the U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,592discloses hydrogen-absorbing compositions for the filling of opticalfibre cables which comprise the mixture of an unsaturated polymerobtained by the polymerization of conjugated dienes with a catalystchosen from transition metals, organic salts of transition metals ororganometallic compounds of the said metals and more specificallypalladium powder, platinum powder, nickel powder, iron pentacarbonyl orcopper chromite, the said metals optionally being supported on inertcompounds, such as animal or vegetable carbon black. The European patentapplication published under the number EP 0 632 301 discloseshydrogen-absorbing compositions for the filling of optical fibre cableswhich comprise the mixture of an unsaturated hydrocarbonaceous compound,for example polybutene or propylene-ethylene, propylene-butene andpropylene-hexene copolymers, the propylene-butene-ethylene terpolymer,glyceryl ricin-oleate or resin oil, with a catalyst chosen fromtransition metals, organic salts of transition metals or organometalliccompounds of the said metals and more specifically palladium powder,platinum powder, nickel powder or iron pentacarbonyl, the said metalsoptionally being supported on inert compounds. The French patentapplication published under the number 2 763 955 discloses a compositionfor filling optical fibre cables which comprises from 75% to 95% byweight of a propoxylated bisphenol with a molecular weight of less than3 000, from 5% to 25% by weight of a thixotropic agent and from 0.1% to1% by weight of an antioxidizing agent.

The palladium-based compounds are provided in the form of very finepowders with a diameter of approximately ten microns and with a highspecific surface area. In point of fact, these powders are difficult todisperse homogeneously and have a tendency to form agglomerates in thegreases, which reduces the overall specific surface area of the catalystand thus the effectiveness of the grease in absorbing hydrogen. On theother hand, at equal effectiveness, a good dispersion of the catalyst inthe grease makes it possible to use smaller amounts of catalyst and thusto decrease the cost price of these greases. This is why the ApplicantCompany has sought to develop novel compositions in which the catalystpowders are dispersed more homogeneously than in those of the state ofthe art.

A subject-matter of the invention is a composition, characterized inthat it comprises a hydrocarbonaceous and/or silicone compound or amixture of hydrocarbonaceous and/or silicone compounds, a nonzeroproportion of one or more transition metals and a nonzero proportion ofat least one slightly polar dispersing liquid fatty phase, having one ormore hydrocarbonaceous chains, with an HLB of between 0.5 and 9,preferably between 4 and 9.

The term “hydrocarbonaceous and/or silicone compound or mixture ofhydrocarbonaceous and/or silicone compounds” denotes in particularhydrocarbons, hydrocarbonaceous polymers, silicone oils and/or polyolderivatives.

The composition which is a subject-matter of the present inventiongenerally comprises from 50% to 90% by weight of hydrocarbonaceousand/or silicone compound or of mixture of hydrocarbonaceous and/orsilicone compounds.

Hydrocarbons or hydrocarbonaceous polymers include, for example,poly-alpha-olefins (PAO) or copolymers of alpha-olefins comprising from8 to 12 carbon atoms, polyisobutene (PIB) or polybutene, obtained bypolymerization of isobutene, of 1-butene and/or of 2-butene,propylene-ethylene, propylene-butene and propylene-hexene copolymers,propylene-butene-ethylene terpolymers or polybutadienes. The siliconeoils can be chosen from poly(alkylsiloxanes), in particularpoly(dimethylsiloxanes), with high molecular weights having a viscosityof the order of 10 000 to 30 000 cSt at ambient temperature. The polyolderivatives are obtained by etherification or esterification of acompound having several hydroxyl functional groups, such as, forexample, glycerol, TMP or bisphenol, by means of hydrocarbonaceous fattychains or alkoxide chains, such as polyethylene glycol, polypropyleneglycol or polybutylene glycol.

The composition which is a subject-matter of the present invention alsocomprises one or more metal catalysts in a proportion by weight rangingup to 5% by weight of the said composition. Examples of metal compoundsappropriate to the present invention include, for example, transitionmetals, organic salts of transition metals or organometallic compoundsof the said metals and more specifically palladium powder, platinumpowder, nickel powder, iron pentacarbonyl, chloroplatinic acid, copperchromite, Raney nickel, palladium supported on active charcoal,palladium supported on alumina, platinum supported on alumina orplatinum supported on active charcoal.

According to a specific alternative form of the present invention, thecomposition comprises up to 1% by weight of palladium supported onalumina or on active charcoal.

The composition which is a subject-matter of the present invention alsocomprises up to 15% by weight of silica. Hydrophobic treated silica,such as, for example, Aerosil™ R974, can be used but the preferredsilica is hydrophilic silica, for example hydrophilic pyrogenic silica,such as that sold under the name of Aerosil™ 200, or hydrophiliccolloidal silica, such as that sold under the name of Cab-O-Sil™ TS 720.

The composition which is a subject-matter of the present inventionoptionally comprises up to approximately 5% of a viscosifying polymer.Examples of viscosifying polymer include styrene, ethylene, propylene,butylene or butadiene polymers or diblock copolymers of these monomers,such as polystyrene-polyethylene,polystyrene-[polyethylene+polypropylene], polystyrene-polyisoprene orpolystyrene-polybutene, or triblock polymers, such aspolystyrene-polyethylene-polystyrene,polystyrene-[polyethylene+polypropylene]-polystyrene,polystyrene-polyisoprene-polystyrene orpolystyrene-polybutadiene-polystyrene. Polymers of this type are soldunder the trade names Kraton™ G or Kraton D, Septon™ or Shellvis™.

The composition which is a subject-matter of the present inventionoptionally comprises up to approximately 2% of an antioxidizing agentchosen, for example, from compounds with a sterically hindered phenolicstructure, such as polymeric 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline,phenothiazine, octyl (3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)propionate,hydroquinone monomethyl ether or triethylene glycolbis[3-(3′-tert-butyl-4′-hydroxy-5′-methylphenyl)propionate], sold underthe name of Irganox™ 245, or ethylenebis-(oxyethylene)bis(3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxy-5-methylhydro-cinnamate), Irganox™ 1076, orIrganox™ 1010.

The term “slightly polar dispersing liquid fatty phase having one ormore hydrocarbonaceous chains, with an HLB of between 0.5 and 9,preferably between 4 and 9″ is preferably understood to mean fattyphases which are liquid at ambient temperature.

The HLB number, or hydrophilic-lipophilic balance, and its method ofdetermination are known to a person skilled in the art. This parametermakes it possible to assess the hydrophobic and hydrophilic natures of agiven surface-active agent. In the context of the present invention, forsurface-active agents comprising an ester functional group, it isdetermined by the following formula:HLB=20×[1−(SN/AN)in which SN represents the saponification number of the product,measured according to NFT Standard 60206, and AN represents the acidnumber of the precursor acids, measured according to NFT Standard 60204.

In the case of surface-active agents comprising an ether functionalgroup, the HLB is calculated by the equation:HLB=20×(M _(h) /M)in which M_(h) is the mass of the hydrophilic part of the molecule and Mis its overall molecular mass.

The composition which is a subject-matter of the present inventioncomprises from 1% to 20% and preferably between 5% and 10% by weight ofdispersing fatty phase.

According to another specific aspect of the present invention, the ratioby weight of the metal catalyst or catalysts to the dispersing fattyphase in the composition is between approximately 0.01 and 0.20.

Slightly polar dispersing fatty phase appropriate to the presentinvention includes vegetable oils, such as, for example, sunflower oil,rapeseed oil, maize oil, soybean oil, castor oil, linseed oil, coconutoil, groundnut oil, olive oil, palm oil or hydrogenated palm oil, ormodified vegetable oils, such as methyl esters of vegetable oils,monoglycerides or diglycerides obtained by controlled hydrolysis ofvegetable oils, weakly alkoxylated vegetable oils, in particular weaklyethoxylated and/or propoxylated vegetable oils, more particularlyethoxylated vegetable oils comprising from 1 to 10 ethylene oxide units,or weakly alkoxylated methyl esters of vegetable oils, in particularweakly ethoxylated and/or propoxylated methyl esters of vegetable oilsand more particularly methyl esters of vegetable oils ethoxylated with 1to 4 ethylene oxides. The preparation of these modified vegetable oilsis disclosed in the international patent applications published underthe numbers WO 96/22109 and WO 00/01233.

The term “weakly alkoxylated” indicates, in the preceding and in thefollowing, that the alkoxylation number and in particular theethoxylation and propoxylation numbers, which represent respectively thenumber of ethoxyl units (EO number) and the number of propoxyl units (POnumber) per molecule, is less than or equal to approximately 15 [EOnumber=15 or PO number=15 or (EO number+PO number)=approximately 15].

Other slightly polar liquid dispersing fatty phase appropriate to thepresent invention includes surface-active agents having an HLB number ofbetween 1 and 9, preferably between 4 and 9, which are miscible with theoils which participate in the composition of the greases. Examplesinclude linear or branched fatty alcohols or fatty acids comprising from5 to 30 carbon atoms and more particularly from 12 to 22 carbon atoms orthe esters of the said acids, the said alcohols, acids or estersoptionally being weakly alkoxylated. Preference is given, among these,to surface-active agents which are liquid at ambient temperature, suchas those comprising an oleyl, oleyl/cetyl, linoleyl or behenyl chain.These compounds are optionally weakly alkoxylated. Examples ofsurface-active agents of this nature include sorbitan oleic esters,oleyl alcohols comprising from 1 to 5 ethylene oxide units (EO=5),polyethylene glycol (PEG) oleates comprising from 1 to 5 ethylene oxideunits (1≦EO≦5), liquid glucose ethers or oleic acid comprising from 1 to5 ethylene oxide units.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a subject-matterof the latter is a process for producing the composition as definedabove comprising a stage of dispersing the catalyst in the dispersingagent as defined above, followed by mixing the dispersion in the otherconstituents of the composition which is a subject-matter of the presentinvention.

The process as defined above is a preferred route but it is possible tomix the dispersing phase with the oils of the grease, to add thepalladium powder and then to add the other components.

According to a final aspect of the present invention, a subject-matterof the latter is the use of the composition as defined above ascomposition for filling optical fibre cables.

The following examples illustrate the invention without, however,limiting it.

A) Demonstration of the Influence of the Dispersing Fatty Phase on theAmount of Hydrogen Absorbed by the Composition

The examples in Tables 1 a to 1e are obtained from a model greasecomposed of:

-   -   5 or 10% by weight of a dispersing fatty phase (referred to as        DFP)    -   3.8% by weight of a viscosifying polymer (Shellvis™ 40),    -   6.5% by weight of hydrophilic silica (Cab-O-Sil™ TS 720),    -   0.4% of an antioxidant (Irganox™ 1076),    -   0.6% of palladium supported on alumina catalyst,    -   q.s. for 100% of poly-alpha-olefin (PAO).

The measured characteristics of the compositions are as follows:

-   -   the volatility, after residence in an oven at 150° C. for 24 h,    -   the release of oil (exsudation) , after residence in an oven at        150° C. for 24 hours,    -   the viscosity at a high shear gradient (approximately 2 500        Pa·s), measured on a Carrimed viscometer with a cone with a        diameter of 2 cm and an angle of 2°,    -   the hydrogen absorption per gram of grease at 24 hours and at 48        hours, in a cell under an initial hydrogen pressure of 400 mm of        mercury at ambient temperature.

The results reveal that all the greases formulated with 5 to 10% of apolar fatty phase have viscosities, exsudations and volatilities closeto those of the control formula but that the hydrogen absorption is, onthe other hand, markedly improved, in particular when the dispersingfatty phase has an HLB number in the region of 4 or greater than 4.Additives not possessing a long hydrocarbonaceous fatty chain, such asoxypropylated bisphenol A (comparative example), give results which areonly slightly better than those of the control. TABLE 1a ExamplesControl Ex. 1 DFP (nature; amount as %; HLB) None Methyl ester ofrapeseed oil; 5% HLB = 0.5 Volatility 1.17% 4.16% Exsudation 0% 0%Plastic viscosity 0.90 Pa · s at 0.78 Pa · s at 2534 Pa 2445 Pa H₂pressure at T = 0 h 405 mmHg (0) 401 mmHg (0) in mmHg, at T = 24 h 322mmHg (1.08) 204 mmHg (3.27) H₂ absorption at T = 48 h 321 mmHg (1.39)174 mmHg (3.76) in ml/g

TABLE 1b Examples Ex. 2 Ex. 3 DFP (nature; amount as %; HLB) Ethoxylated(2 Rapeseed oil; EO) oleyl/cetyl 5%; alcohol; 5%; HLB = 0.5 HLB = 6Volatility 2.67% 1.81% Exsudation 0% 0% Plastic viscosity 0.81 Pa · s at0.83 Pa · s at 2093 Pa 2394 Pa H₂ pressure at T = 0 h 406 mmHg (0) 400mmHg in mmHg, at T = 24 h 277 mmHg (2.14) 304 mmHg (1.59) H₂ absorptionat T = 48 h 246 mmHg (2.65) 277 mmHg (2.04) in ml/g

TABLE 1c Examples Ex. 4 Ex. 5 DFP (nature; amount as Ethoxylated (4Alkoxylated (5 %; HLB) EO) maize oil; 5%; EO 4 PO 5 EO) HLB = 5 oleicacid; 5%; HLB = 3 Volatility 1.6% 2.01% Exsudation 0% 0% Plasticviscosity 0.90 Pa · s at 0.88 Pa · s at 2125 Pa 2494 Pa H₂ pressure at T= 0 h 400 mmHg 405 mmHg in mmHg, at T = 24 h 304 mmHg (1.7) 299 mmHg(1.76) H₂ absorption at T = 48 h 277 mmHg (2.24) 291 mmHg (1.89) in ml/g

TABLE 1d Examples Ex. 6 Comparative DFP (nature; amount as Ethoxylated(5 Oxypropylated %; HLB) EO) oleic acid; 5%; bisphenol A 10%; HLB = 8.7HLB = 1 Volatility 1.43% 1.71% Exsudation 0% 0.06% Plastic viscosity0.90 Pa · s at 0.91 Pa · s at 2344 Pa 2394 Pa H₂ pressure at T = 0 h 402mmHg 403 mmHg in mmHg, at T = 24 h 279 mmHg (2.03) 315 mmHg (1.45) H₂absorption at T = 48 h 249 mmHg (2.53) 309 mmHg (1.55) in ml/g

TABLE 1e Examples Ex. 7 Ex. 8 DFP (nature; amount as %; HLB) SorbitanEthoxylated (10 oleate; 10%; EO) oleic acid; HLB = 4.3 HLB = 8.7Volatility 2.22% 2.0% Exsudation 1.94% 0% Plastic viscosity 0.85 Pa · sat 0.89 Pa · s 1994 Pa H₂ pressure at T = 0 h 403 mmHg 401 mmHg in mmHg,at T = 24 h 284 mmHg (1.97) 255 mmHg (2.4) H₂ absorption at T = 48 h 249mmHg (2.54) 221 mmHg (2.97) in ml/gB) Demonstration of the Influence of the Catalyst/Dispersing Fatty PhaseRatio by Weight on the Amount of Hydrogen Absorbed by the Composition

The examples in Tables 2a to 2c are obtained from a model greasecomposed of:

-   -   5% by weight of ethoxylated (5 EO) oleic acid with an HLB of        8.7,    -   3.8% by weight of a viscosifying polymer (Shellvis™ 40),    -   6.5% by weight of hydrophilic silica (Cab-O-Sil™ TS720),    -   0% to 0.6% of palladium supported on alumina catalyst,    -   q.s. for 100% of poly-alpha-olefin (PAO).

In all cases, the amounts of hydrogen absorbed in 48 h are greater thanthose absorbed by the control not comprising dispersing phase whilecomprising 0.6% of catalyst. TABLE 2a Examples Control Ex. 9Catalyst/DFP ratio by weight 0 0.04 Catalyst (% by weight) 0% Pd/Al₂O₃;0.20% Volatility 1.3% 1.3% Exsudation 0% 0% Plastic viscosity 0.90 Pa ·s at 0.90 Pa · s at 2344 Pa 2344 Pa H₂ pressure at T = 0 h 403 mmHg (0)402 mmHg (0) in mmHg, at T = 48 h 402 mmHg (0) 295 mmHg (1.78) H₂absorption in ml/g

TABLE 2b Examples Ex. 10 Ex. 11 Catalyst/DFP ratio by weight 0.08 0.12Catalyst (% by weight) Pd/Al₂O₃; 0.40% Pd/Al₂O₃; 0.60% Volatility 1.9%1.9% Exsudation 0% 0% Plastic viscosity 0.90 Pa · s at 0.90 Pa · s at2344 Pa 2344 Pa H₂ pressure at T = 0 h 403 mmHg (0) 402 mmHg (0) inmmHg, at T = 48 h 244 mmHg (2.59) 173 mmHg (3.78) H₂ absorption in ml/g

TABLE 2c DFP-free Examples Ex. 12 control Catalyst/DFP ratio by weight0.06% 8 Catalyst (% by weight) Pd/Al₂O₃; 0.30% Pd/Al₂O₃; 0.60%Volatility 1.43% 1.17% Exsudation 0% 0% Plastic viscosity 0.90 Pa · s ·at 0.90 Pa · s at 2344 Pa 2344 Pa H₂ pressure at T = 0 h 401 mmHg (0)405 mmHg (0) in mmHg, at T = 48 h 221 mmHg (2.97) 321 mmHg (1.39) H₂absorption in ml/g

The examples in Tables 3a to 3c are obtained from a model greasecomposed of:

-   -   10% by weight of vegetable oil (HLB 0.5),    -   3.8% by weight of a viscosifying polymer (Shellvis™ 40),    -   6.5% by weight of hydrophilic silica (Cab-O-Sil™ TS720),    -   0% to 0.3% of palladium supported on alumina catalyst,    -   q.s. for 100% of poly-alpha-olefin (PAO).

In all cases where the catalyst/DFP ratio by weight is greater than0.01, the amounts of hydrogen absorbed in 48 h are greater than thoseabsorbed by the control not comprising dispersing phase while comprising0.6% of catalyst. TABLE 3a Examples Control Ex. 13 Catalyst/DFP ratio byweight 0 0.01 Catalyst (% by weight) 0% Pd/Al₂O₃; 0.10% Volatility 1.8%1.8% Exsudation 0% 0% Plastic viscosity 0.87 Pa · s at 0.89 Pa · s at2550 Pa 2556 Pa H₂ absorption at T = 0 h 0 0 in ml/g at T = 48 h 0.050.98

TABLE 3b Examples Ex. 14 Ex. 15 Catalyst/DFP ratio by weight 0.02 0.03Catalyst (% by weight) Pd/Al₂O₃; 0.20% Pd/Al₂O₃; 0.30% Volatility 1.8%1.8% Exsudation 0% 0% Plastic viscosity 0.88 Pa · s at 0.87 Pa · s at2550 Pa 2560 Pa H₂ absorption at T = 0 h 0 0 in ml/g at T = 48 h 1.9 2.3

TABLE 3c DFP-free Examples Ex. 16 control Catalyst/DFP ratio by weight0.06% 8 Catalyst (% by weight) Pd/Al₂O₃; 0.60% Pd/Al₂O₃; 0.60%Volatility 1.8% 1.17% Exsudation 0% 0% Plastic viscosity 0.83 Pa · s at0.90 Pa · s at 2394 Pa 2344 Pa H₂ absorption at T = 0 h 0 0 in ml/g at T= 48 h 2 1.4

1. A composition, comprising a hydrocarbonaceous and/or siliconecompound or a mixture of hydrocarbonaceous and/or silicone compounds, anonzero proportion of one or more transition metals and a nonzeroproportion of at least one slightly polar dispersing liquid fatty-phase,having one or more hydrocarbonaceous chains, with an HLB of between 0.5and 9, wherein one or more metal catalysts are present in an amount upto 5% by weight of said composition, and wherein the metal catalyst isselected from the group consisting of palladium powder, platinum powder,nickel powder, iron pentacarbonyl, chloroplatinic acid, copper chromite,Raney nickel, palladium supported on active charcoal, palladiumsupported on alumina, platinum supported on alumina, and platinumsupported on active charcoal, and wherein a silicone compound is presentand said silicone compound is a silicone oil selected from the groupconsisting of poly(alkylsiloxanes) and poly(dimethyl-siloxanes) withhigh molecular weights.
 2. The composition as defined in claim 1,wherein said composition comprises from 50% to 90% by weight ofhydrocarbonaceous and/or silicone compound or of mixture ofhydrocarbonaceous and/or silicone compounds.
 3. The composition asdefined in claim 1, wherein a hydrocarbonaceous compound is present andthe hydrocarbonaceous compound is a polymer selected from the groupconsisting of poly-alpha-olefins, polyisobutene, propylene-ethylene,propylene-butene and propylene-hexene copolymers,propylene-butene-ethylene terpolymers and polybutadienes.
 4. Thecomposition as defined in claim 1, wherein said composition comprises upto approximately 5% of a viscosifying polymer.
 5. The composition asdefined in claim 1, wherein said composition comprises up toapproximately 2% of an antioxidizing agent.
 6. The composition asdefined in claim 1, wherein the slightly polar dispersing liquid fattyphase, having one or more hydrocarbonaceous chains, with an HLB ofbetween 0.5 and 9, is liquid at ambient temperature.
 7. The compositionas defined in claim 1, wherein said composition comprises from 1% to 20%by weight of dispersing fatty phase.
 8. The composition as defined inclaim 7, wherein the ratio by weight of the metal catalyst or catalyststo the dispersing fatty phase in the composition is betweenapproximately 0.01 and 0.20.
 9. The composition as defined in claim 1,wherein the dispersing fatty phase is chosen from vegetable oils.
 10. Acomposition, comprising a hydrocarbonaceous and/or silicone compound ora mixture of hydrocarbonaceous and/or silicone compounds, a nonzeroproportion of one or more transition metals and a nonzero proportion ofat least one slightly polar dispersing liquid fatty phase, having one ormore hydrocarbonaceous chains, with an HLB of between 0.5 and 9, whereinthe dispersing fatty phase is selected from the group consisting ofmethyl esters of vegetable oils, monoglycerides or diglycerides obtainedby controlled hydrolysis of vegetable oils, weakly alkoxylated vegetableoils, weakly ethoxylated vegetable oils, propoxylated vegetable oils,ethoxylated vegetable oils comprising from 1 to 10 ethylene oxide units,weakly alkoxylated methyl esters of vegetable oils, weakly ethoxylatedand/or propoxylated methyl esters of vegetable oils, and methyl estersof vegetable oils ethoxylated with 1 to 4 ethylene oxides.
 11. Thecomposition as defined in claim 9, wherein the vegetable oil is selectedfrom the group consisting of sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, maize oil,soybean oil, castor oil, linseed oil, coconut oil, groundnut oil, oliveoil, palm oil and hydrogenated palm oil.
 12. The composition as definedin claim 7, wherein the dispersing fatty phase is chosen fromsurface-active agents having an HLB number of between 1 and
 9. 13. Thecomposition as defined in claim 12, wherein the dispersing fatty phaseis chosen from linear or branched fatty alcohols or fatty acidscomprising from 5 to 30 carbon atoms.
 14. The composition as defined inclaim 7, wherein the dispersing fatty phase is chosen fromsurface-active agents which are liquid at ambient temperature.
 15. Thecomposition as defined in claim 7, wherein the dispersing fatty phase ischosen from optionally weakly alkoxylated surface-active agentscomprising an oleyl, oleyl/cetyl, linoleyl or behenyl chain.